News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-07-07
HYDE PARKS
CENTEN NAL.
The One Hundredth Anniversary
of its Settlement Observed in
Excellent Style.
THE BIGGEST CROWD EVER GATHERED
WITHIN HER BORDERS-A MEMOIR
ABLE EVENT - EVERYBODY
PLEASED AND EVERY
BODY SATISFIED.

ABLE EVENT - EVERYBODY
PLEASED AND EVERY
BODY SATISFIED.
Hyde Park has celebrated, and the
universal appreciation and approva
accorded by the thousands who par
ticipated therein is exceedingly graft
fying to those of her residents who
have so periodically and unSelfshly
responded to the calls upon them fol
the preparation of the festivities O
the occasion. She has set an example
which we believe many of her sistel
towns will follow as the centennia
anniversaries of their several settle
ments occur. The fact that the frs
settler of Hyde Park actually frs
pitched his tent within her border:
upon the Fourth day of July, thu:
giving her the same birthday of the
nation, seemed to render it especially
proper that her people rise to the in
spiration which this dual birthday
demanded, and nobly have they me-
the responsibilities of the occasion
1t would be invidious to particularize
for as the day approached patriotic
inspiration seemed to take possession
of nearly the entire community, from
the gray-haired veteran of four-score
to the youngest prattler, and all seemed
to vie with each other in their efforts
to forward the work.
To say that the result fully met the
expectation of the people of Hyde
Park, would be a weak statement in
deed. Three months since the affair
was regarded as almost entirely of
local importance, but as the day ap-
preached the sons and daughters from
afar began to express their intention
of returning to their native town to
Join in the festivities.
The gulf coast of Florida sent us as
her representative, distinguished son
of Hyde Park in the person of Ex-Gov.
A P K Stafford. The Canadas, Mas
sachuSetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania
and other States, all furnished their
quota, while distinguished citizens of
Vermont, several of whom had to
leave their homes the Saturday before
to reach US, showed their patriotism
and regard by honoring US with their
presence. Among these were Lieut.
Gov. Fuller of Brattleboro, and Hon.
H. G. Root of Bennington.
The day was ushered in with a ma
tional salute at sunrise, and, as if in
to the echoes of the booming
artillery, the multitude began to pour
in upon the town, and for hours it
seemed as if every avenue of approach
to the village was thronged with hui
man beings.
The special trains provided by the
railroad company were entirely made
quate and hundreds were compelled
to remain at depots on the line until
the cargoes of living freight were dis
charged at Hyde Park and the trains
returned for them. Trains continued
to arrive until past midday, all crowded
to their utmost capacity, and long be-
fore noon, Main Street, Court House
Square and the park where the festivi-
ties were to take place, was sea of
human faces, rendering locomotion at
many points extremely difficult, espe-
cially with carriages.
No one attempted to give even an
approximate estimate of the number
in attendance, although guesses upon
this point formed prominent topic of
conversation. All admitted that the
famous Baxter and Hoyt convention,
which until this Centennial was with
out doubt the largest gathering in
Hyde Park, was dwarf in comparison
with the multitude assembled here the
Fourth, and that notable convention
was said to contain fully five thousand
people.
At ten o'clock the procession was
formed and marched to the Old Gem
etery in the following order:
Marshal of the Day and Assistants
SwantOn COrnet Band.
Omcers of the Day, Chaplain and Invited Guests.
j. M. Warner Post No. 4, preceded by
CraftSbuTy COrnet Band.
Post No. 10, with Drum Corps.
Old Brigade Post No. Al, preceded by Johnson
Serenade Band.
L. FL. BOStwick Post No. 50, preceded by I'm
derhill Citizens Band.
Aaron Keller Post No. 81.
Wateryille Post.
On arrival there a square was form
ed around the graves of Capt. John
Mcdaniel, the first settler of the
town, and Capt. Jedediah Hyde, to
whom the town was originally char
tered, where appropriate exercises
were held, including prayer by Rev.
Edwin Wheelock and remarks by Rev.
E. ]. Ward. 1t is perhaps proper in
this connection to say that the cele-
bration of the Hyde Park centennial
might appropriately be termed the
centennial celebration of the first set
tlement of Orleans County, of which
Hyde Park was a part until the for
nation, in 1885, of the new county of
Lamoille. The marble slab which
marks the last resting place of John
Mcdaniel records this indisputable
fact in the brief sentence, "the first
settler of the county of Orleans"
Returning to the park, the exercises
of the day were continued by half
hours parade of the horribles, under
command of Capt. Wait, which was
acknowledged to be the most unap-
proachable and unique of its kind
ever within this county.
After a short time spent in witness
ing the athletic sports, the different
Grand Army Posts and Bands repaired